


May Satisfaction Always Lead You Back Home

by Lady_Lavender



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Don't copy to another site, Homunculus Edward Elric, M/M, homunculi are more common in this au, i spent too damn much time worldbuilding this au let me share it with you guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-10-14 10:06:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17506556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Lavender/pseuds/Lady_Lavender
Summary: In Amestris, a lot of people know about homunculi, but many humans have never met one - or at least, they THINK they've never met one. Only a few things are really known about them: that they're artificially created using alchemy, they're often incredibly strong and durable, nearly-impervious to injury, and that they have some human emotion as the basis of their entire personality. They're also highly illegal to create in the modern day.Although Edward Elric is turning twenty years old in just half a year, he's never really left his home in Resembool for very long, or by himself. But when his adopted brother leaves to go to Central University, Ed is struggling with conflicted emotions. With some prompting from his dad, he heads out to Dublith, a hotspot for homunculi, in the hopes of learning more about himself and what he wants out of his existence. He hadn't expected to find a really hot guy who seemed to get him, OR stumble over a conspiracy that's been over a century in the making.





	1. I Wish I'd Never Asked

**Author's Note:**

> Uh hey, a new fic? I'm trying something different here and posting each scene individually as I separate it in my text editor, rather than lumping several scenes together into a chapter. For some reason, I have an easier time working on individual scenes without the pressure of trying to make some arbitrary word count or worrying about how they flow together in a chapter. Some scenes will be short, others will be much longer. All my scenes are relatively self contained as-is, though, so while one might be a cliffhanger, it's not going to just stop in the middle of the action if I hadn't already intended it to do so already.
> 
> That being said, enjoy this first scene with a deliberately written cliffhanger that stops just shy of any real answers!

Ed enjoyed school, most of the time. He was a fast learner, and his burning curiosity allowed him to rush through the tedium of homework and still get all the answers right. But today, he felt his stomach sinking in dread as his history teacher continued on with his lesson.

"The homunculus registration act of 1923 had three parts. The first was the Amestrian government acknowledging the existence of homunculi as both a concept and as people. The second allowed any existing homunculus the safety to come out at any time and register for citizenship with a specific set of documentation of their powers, whether they needed supervision, assistance with housing or income, and gave them a government ID that allowed even the earliest to register to still have legal standing today, with minimal change in their documentation or a need to start their lives all over again on a frequent basis."

Ed knew about those first two parts, and had a sinking suspicion about the third part.

"Lastly, it made the creation of new homunculi illegal from that point onward. Other countries were quick to implement similar laws."

Ed distantly noticed Winry raising her hand. His chest thumped with some emotion he couldn't quite define, and he knew that his curiosity was going to get the best of him this time. "Why is it illegal to create new homunculi?" Winry's voice registered in Ed's brain. 

Their teacher frowned, looking through his notes. "Something about ethical reasons in their creation, if I remember correctly…" he mumbled. 

"I know why." Ed's voice nearly cracked, and his fingers twitched against his chest. He ignored the voices both around him and within, only distantly aware of his own words. "Homunculi need philosopher's stones to be created. And to make one of those requires an alchemist to sacrifice human lives. The creation of a single homunculus would require at least a hundred human deaths…"

The classroom went silent. Ed and his brother Al were the only alchemists in school, and that fact was pretty widely known. No one  _ doubted _ Ed's words, he knew, but it was still a shock. 

The teacher took in how automail fingers twitched at Ed's chest, the strange pallor of his usually dark skin, and hesitated. "Mr. Elric, would you like to see the nurse? You're not looking too well."

Grateful for the out, Ed nodded, and grabbed his backpack to head out of the classroom. It was the last class of the day, thankfully, and the lesson had been nearly over, so he could probably stall going to the nurse's office long enough to just wait for the bell to ring. Which is exactly what he did.

Ed waited in the usual spot for Al and Winry. If he didn't, they'd get suspicious. They'd pester him to tell them what was wrong. They'd probably do that anyway, but if he at least let Winry drive him home like usual, then he could probably stall the conversation for another time. Right now, he had questions for his dad. 

The drive home was tense, but thankfully not silent. Winry talking about her project for shop class and Al boasting about his top test score in pre-calculus allowed Ed a temporary distraction, and he was even able to muster up a few small but genuine smiles for them both. But when Winry dropped off him and Al at their place, asked Ed if he was alright, he brushed her off.

Instead, he marched straight towards the kitchen, where Hohenheim would be working on dinner for his sons. "Ah, Edward, you're home." Hohenheim turned around, a smile faltering when he saw Ed's stern expression.

Ed wasn't going to fool himself — he  _ knew _ there was no curiosity driving the question that came out of Hohenheim's mouth. Didn't mean there wasn't any concern, but any genuine drive to  _ learn _ and  _ know _ something had been willingly abandoned.

"Is something wrong, Edward?" Hohenheim leaned against the counter, golden eyes meeting golden eyes. So different from Al or Winry's. So different from  _ any _ living human Ed had ever seen.

"… Why did you create me? You and Mom could have just adopted a couple of human kids. You adopted  _ Al _ , but you created me, first. Why? Even when you already had the souls needed for me, even when you went somewhere it wouldn't technically be illegal… Why? Why would you make me and give up your curiosity, your alchemy, so many of the people you've made peace with inside of you? Why sacrifice so much just for  _ me _ ?"

Even as the words spilled out, Ed was cursing to himself. He both didn't want the answer and at the same time  _ needed _ it with his entire being. He almost hoped Hohenheim would lie to him, but he knew that wasn't likely to happen.

Even as soon as he asked it, Ed wished he hadn't.


	2. See the World While You're Still Young

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed and Hohenheim have a talk about leaving home

Ed turning nineteen had been a signal, of sorts. Because of his dad's lack of knowledge of certain milestones in a teenage boy's development, combined with hazy memories and being a late bloomer himself, Ed's hormones had hit him all at once about a month after his birthday. He'd been aware before then of sexual attraction, and had readily come out as bi. Hell, he'd even had sex! He was curious, of course he did! But the  _ drive _ hadn't been there until recently. And now the term "disaster bi" was so incredibly accurate for how he felt that he sometimes joked that it had been created just for him. 

It had also been the start of Ed being unable to contain his restlessness. Resembool was still small, they had a community college he'd attended for a year just to kill time, but with Al now graduated from high school and heading out for Central University, Ed was just  _ itching _ to be able to see new sights and expand his horizons.

But it would also leave his father alone. Their house was fairly out of the way, and while Hohenheim was used to being alone during the days during school, soon he wouldn't have Al around. Only Ed. The whole thing triggered an internal debate, made Ed feel uncomfortable, like he was  _ obligated _ to stay with his father to keep him from being alone.

So Ed had thrown himself into physical labor — he was stronger and more resilient than any human, even if the people of Resembool, by and large, didn't know that Ed was… different. The Rockbells knew. Al knew. That was about it. Everyone else saw him as just Edward Elric, that kid with the automail arm and leg who was too smart and too curious for his own good.

They weren't wrong, really. Just that there was… a bit more to it than that.

Ed returned home after a long day of shearing sheep and mucking out barns. He stank, and honestly just wanted to take a hot bath and maybe browse Wikipedia on his phone for a while just to see what new things he could learn. But he was stopped by Hohenheim when he reached the front porch.

"This isn't like you, Edward. We both know you'll never be happy doing physical labor for long. You'll help out, because you're a good person and want to help people. But you won't be  _ happy _ with it. Your mind needs constant stimulation, new things to learn… I know the community college isn't that great out here. Why don't you join Alphonse in going to Central? I'm sure he'd appreciate the company."

It always itched, when Hohenheim asked questions. Made Ed's chest tighten and gave him a mild headache. He shook it off, chose instead to glare at his father. He wasn't normally so antagonistic, but this…  _ thing _ that hung between them was a sore spot. Hohenheim was oblivious sometimes, but not  _ that _ dense.

"You  **know** why."

Hohenheim's features softened. "You don't want to leave me alone." The man sighed, then sat down on the porch swing, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together. Golden eyes couldn't bring themselves to meet Ed's — he knew this was a tricky thing to work around.

"You're still young. For a homunculus, even younger than you can comprehend right now. That will change, in time. But while you're still young, you should be seeing and learning as much as you can about the world around you. See it all with fresh eyes, and when the time comes for you to see the world again, you can learn about what's changed. You have time, still, before the people in our lives right now move on. You should be taking advantage of that. I'll be fine, there's plenty of people I know still kicking. Don't let an old man like me hold you back."

The roiling internal debate that Ed had been having with himself seemed to calm at those words. His father was right — he  _ was _ still pretty young. Hohenheim himself still felt there were people around him to count on, which meant that Ed wouldn't be his sole lifeline.

Yet.

That black thought got pushed aside. Ed would deal with it later. For now, he sat next to Hohenheim. Neither of them looked at each other, but after a few minutes of tense silence, an automail knee bumped against his father's.

"Thanks. For sticking around when I asked." Ed knew that he didn't need to elaborate — even as a toddler, he'd been exceptionally bright and had an incredibly good memory. Being so young was no obstacle to remembering how he'd seen his parents talking, realizing that Hohenheim had been getting ready to leave. Back then, he'd felt like something terrible would happen if his father left him.

He hadn't been entirely wrong. If Ed's pleading hadn't gotten through, who knew how they would've gotten hold of his father when his mother had fallen ill. Ed didn't think he'd have been able to hold off resenting the man who had created him.

Although, maybe if he had resented Hohenheim, it would be easier for Ed to push aside his inner conflict, to set himself firmly on one, singular feeling about the nature of his own existence.

Ed didn't even glance up when Hohenheim looked over at him. The smile he gave as his father pulled him into a one-armed hug didn't quite meet his eyes.

"Don't feel like you have to—"

Ed cut him off. "Doesn't matter what you say now. You made your choice back then. The obligation is still there, and nothing you do can change that."

Even if his father did something that Ed would hate him for, all it would do would give Ed a reason to reject that obligation. Nothing could just… get rid of the entire point behind Ed's creation.

Gently shoving his father off him, Ed stood up and stretched, his spine popping in a couple of different places. "I'm gonna go take a bath. You should change before Al has to smell the manure I rubbed off on you."

"He leaves for Central tomorrow."

Ed paused in the doorway, not looking back at Hohenheim. "… I know."

"Is there any place you'd like to go?" That itching feeling again, the faint tug at Ed's chest as Hohenheim unconsciously tried to utilize an emotion that was no longer part of himself.

"I was thinking Dublith. There's no high speed train from Resembool to Dublith, but even then it's still only a few hours away. I'd be close by, if something happened."

Silence, for a moment. And then the mother of all headaches as his father  **really** tried to be curious. Intentionally.

"Why do you want to be around so many others? You know their stones are—"

Ed snapped, his patience for dealing with his  _ creator _ worn thin for the night. "Because I have to know! You gave up your curiosity to make me, let me grow up knowing what I was, but until a few years ago I've never met another homunculus! Even  _ that _ was something you wanted to keep from happening! I don't care if the people inside of them are in pain and didn't choose to be there.  _ They _ didn't choose to be created like this, either! And stop  _ doing _ that, old man! You know I hate it when you ask like that."

Hated when Hohenheim tried to pull on the curiosity that was Ed's base. All homunculi had one — a baseline emotion that defined their entire existence, given up by the alchemist that created them. Except that most homunculi, from what Ed had heard and read about, didn't get along with their creators. Didn't have to deal with that tug as the alchemist that created them tried to instinctively use an emotion that was still  _ there, _ still so nearby, but at the same time separate from themselves.

Ed stormed off to the bathroom, slamming the door shut. With the bath water running and filling the tub, and his phone set to play music as loud as it could go, no one but him and the souls inside of his stone had to hear him crying.


	3. Leaving Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed says goodbye to his dad and childhood friend before heading out on his own for the first time

Al had left for Central last week. Ed and his dad had been discussing in the time since how arrangements could be made to get him room and board in Dublith. It wasn't like Ed _really_ needed to eat, or sleep for that matter. But he enjoyed it so long as certain dairy products weren't involved, and he needed a place to set up and charge his laptop and phone, and stay clean.

There was a small hostel within Dublith. While it certainly wouldn't grant Ed any privacy, he was used to sharing his room with Al, and he could do some part-time work at the hostel itself to pay for the room and do some shopping. Apparently, they needed someone decent at math to look over their finances since they got screwed over by the last person they hired. Ed didn't particularly _like_ math, but he was good at it, and it would give him a good puzzle to work out and keep his mind busy.

So he was getting ready to board the train. Getting ready to leave behind the only life and home he'd ever known to try and find… something. He wasn't sure what, just yet, but there was a nagging feeling that Ed needed to learn something more about himself before he could be happy choosing between his purpose and what he wanted to do; between rejecting and accepting the sick, twisting feeling of obligation that hung between himself and his father.

The hand on his shoulder startled him out of his thoughts, and he looked over at Winry and Hohenheim, both looking at him with worry creasing their eyebrows.

"Are you going to be okay, Ed? You've never been away from home alone before." Sure, he'd gone into East City and Rush Valley a couple of times, but he'd always had someone with him. But Winry didn't need to worry.

A smile broke out across Ed's face, and he set down his backpack and suitcase, pulling his childhood friend into a carefully-tight hug. He was literally strong enough to break her back, he didn't want to hurt her. "I'll be fine. I've got that maintenance kit you gave me, and my spare arm in case I need to do any heavy lifting. And there's a high-speed track from Dublith to Rush Valley, it'll take like an hour tops to find a good automail mechanic if something goes wrong. And if I _have_ to go there, I'll buy you something as an apology for breaking the automail you made for me."

When he pulled away, Ed couldn't help but laugh at the puffy face that Winry pulled. "You had better not break that automail! I just worked on it for you!" She shoved his shoulder to push him away and crossed her arms, looking off to the side. "… And you know that's not what I meant, Ed."

Hohenheim watched the exchange, a faint smile on his face before Ed pointed a carbon fiber thumb in his direction. "It's not me you've gotta worry about, Win. It's my old man. You and Granny Pinako check on him a couple times a week while I'm gone, okay? Make sure he's not moping around because he's all alone."

Before his father could even open his mouth to say something in response, Ed glared at him. "Can it, dad." But then hard, golden eyes softened, and Ed reached out to hug Hohenheim, as well. "I'll call. Or at least text. And probably send a lot of pictures, too."

He pulled away and jabbed an automail finger in his creator's chest. "Don't just sit around the house moping, either. I know you do it when me and Al aren't home during the day. Go find something to do, old man. It's been how many years since mom died? Find a new girlfriend or something, I dunno. Just don't stay at home doing nothing. Keep yourself busy. You keep saying that's the best thing for me, so follow your own fucking advice for a change."

Hohenheim blinked down at Ed, who stubbornly refused to meet his father's eyes, and then suddenly there was a hand patting his head. Fucking… even without his curiosity, the man was still good at connecting puzzle pieces. He'd noticed a long time ago how Ed showed affection to people, and was returning it in kind now.

Ed huffed and shoved his dad away, slinging his backpack over his left shoulder and grabbing the handle for his rolling suitcase with his right. "Train's gonna finish boarding soon. I'll call, text, email, whatever, okay? Both of you. And Al too, duh. I'll. Be. **Fine.** Okay?"

He didn't wait for their answers, just turned and left to hurry towards the train before the last boarding call was made.

Ed would be fine. He had to be. What other choice did he really have?


	4. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed arrives in Dublith and meets a very hot homunculus

The train ride was long, and kind of boring. Thankfully, there was wifi on it, so he was able to get a better internet connection than he might have otherwise. He spent most of the several hour trip looking at census information in Dublith.

Thirty-nine registered homunculi in Dublith alone. It was the highest concentration of known homunculi in the world, and Ed was going to make it forty, although not 'officially'. He wasn't sure what drew all the others there. Was it the prospect of a community, no matter how small or how solitary the others might be? Could it be that the local government was just more suited to their needs?

Or was it something else entirely?

Ed grumbled, tapping carbon fiber fingers against the armrest as he looked up from his phone and out the window. Whatever it was, he'd probably find out soon enough. The train was ten minutes from the station.

He was one of the few people in this train car getting off at Dublith, so Ed wasted no time in grabbing his backpack and suitcase when the train arrived. With the maps app pulled up on his phone, he was almost too distracted to notice when he finally set foot on the ground.

Almost.

A creeping sensation seemed to travel up his right leg, making his entire body feel… Alive? Everything seemed a bit more vibrant, anyway. Sounds were clearer, smells sharper, colors more striking. Everything inside of him buzzed, and the souls inside of his stone started making more noise than usual. Not… in a bad way, though? It wasn't so loud that he couldn't think, couldn't concentrate, like when he'd been near that other homunculus years ago.

This felt like… A good place. Ed could see why there were so many homunculi that chose to make their homes here. Why would you want to leave? It felt good.

Dozens of questions immediately came to mind, and Ed had a new, bigger puzzle to try and work on than a few botched finances at the hostel. Those wouldn't take him long, anyway. This thing in Dublith, this attraction for homunculi… That was a mystery worth solving, worthy of his curiosity.

First, though, he _did_ have to take care of things with the hostel, and get checked in there. Ed spent some time checking in and filling out some paperwork for his job duties during his stay, and between the train ride to Dublith and the time he'd spent with paperwork and getting his stuff put away in the hostel, by the time he got to actually check out the city the sun had already set.

Ed pulled up the maps app on his phone, searching for nightlife hotspots. Resembool didn't have anything major outside of school events and the occasional community party. There were a couple of bars, but neither was geared towards a younger crowd, and the local community for anyone not-straight was… not-great.

But a quick search for Dublith brought up a gay bar that had been around for over a century in some form or another. Founded in 1905, the Devil's Nest had gotten popular with the local queer community pretty quickly. But the thing that really made up Ed's mind for going there instead of the nearby club or something was that the Devil's Nest was owned and operated by a homunculus.

The souls in Ed's stone whispered to him. He knew it would be loud, distracting, trying to block out the sound of another homunculus's stone. It would probably be distressing for the souls in his own stone, to be so near others in pain when Hohenheim had made peace with them long before Ed had been created.

It was still something he didn't want to pass up. The homunculus he'd met before hadn't been in a situation to talk privately, and Ed had definitely _not_ had a chance to ask any of the questions he'd been burning with at the time. So he tapped the location on his phone with his thumb, letting the app give him directions to the bar.

He was actually across the street when he heard the other stone. It was louder, more indefinably _powerful_ , than the stone in the homunculus he'd met before. Ed swallowed, tucked his phone into his pocket, and jogged across the street to go into the bar. On actually walking in, Ed could sense that stone nearby, but couldn't pinpoint it to any one person in the room. In the building, for sure, but not immediately present.

A butch woman behind the bar raised her hand, motioning him over. "You're a fresh face. You new in town, or just finally old enough to go to a bar?" She smirked, leaning on the counter between them as Ed sat down.

"Excuse you? Who the fuck are you calling a pipsqueak, lady?" Ed knew he was… short… but at nineteen, any chance he had of getting taller was slim to none. "I'm nineteen. I've got real, legal ID to prove it."

"Yeah? Prove it." The bartender looked Ed up and down, clearly in disbelief. The drinking age in Amestris varied, based on whether you were the one purchasing it or in public, or whether you were just at home with family. Ed had tried different types of alcohol since he was legally old enough to do so at home at sixteen. Going out in public to drink, though, was something he'd only been able to do in the past year and a half.

Ed pulled his wallet out, taking out the dark blue identification card of an Amestrian citizen. It assumed that he was human, though, which… could be a problem, at some point. Right now, at least he looked his age. Maybe once he could gather up the courage, he'd apply for the deep red of an Amestrian homunculus registration card.

He just… worried… about what questions they'd ask regarding his age and his creator. As far as Ed knew, Hohenheim wasn't registered, himself. Although, his dad was a _special_ circumstance…

Still. Uncomfortable conversations. Ones that Ed would have to face eventually.

The bartender looked at the card, shifting it in the pink neon glow to check its legitimacy. Finally, she handed it back with a grin. "Says you're from Resembool, huh? Country boy trying out big city life? What can I get for ya? And… you _know_ what kind of place this is, right?"

Ed shrugged off the questions. "Mostly visiting for a little while. And _yes_ , I know it's a—"

The words he was about to say fell short as Ed _heard_ the sound of an approaching stone. Finally, it was close enough that he could pinpoint a direction that it was coming from, and he turned his head in time to see a tall man in a leather vest push open a door from what he assumed was a back room. Sunglasses indoors, slicked back dark hair, and an easy grin with too-sharp teeth poking out between his lips.

Ed felt himself swallowing nervously as he watched the new homunculus approach the bar. "Yoo, a new face! Welcome to the Devil's Nest, best gay bar in Amestris."

There really was no hiding the way that Ed stared. His clothing tended to minimize his appearance, covering up as much of his automail as possible to keep people from staring at him with pity or something. But _this_ guy? The flashy pink shirt was practically skintight, showing off a very toned and muscular torso, and the completely bare arms put even Ed's farmboy physique to shame.

The strange homunculus looked at Ed, tilting his head a bit as if trying to listen to something, then his grin broke out even wider as he tilted down those dumb sunglasses. Slitted violet eyes, meant for seeing in the dark, stared back at him. For a moment, Ed wondered if the man had tapetum lucidum as well, but the _teeth_ and raucous laugh from him and the bartender startled Ed out of that thought.

Holy shit this guy was handsome. And unreasonably hot.

"Guess you're right where you intended to be, kid. This is Greed, he's our boss. Good guy, don't let his weirdness put you off." The bartender rolled her eyes, then nudged the homunculus (Greed, Ed had to remind himself) in the ribs with her elbow. "Boss, go easy on him. He's a country boy, he's probably not used to the flashy shit here."

In response, Greed just gave the bartender a shit-eating grin and shrugged. Indignation bubbled up in Ed's chest, though, at the implication that he wasn't used to _flashy shit_. Before he had a chance to say anything, though, Greed reached up and got a glass, pouring a beer from the tap with expert precision and sliding it towards him in one smooth motion. "Try that, kid. Won't find anything like it too far outside of Dublith, it's a local specialty. We got a decent farm that does the hops for it, but something in the soil here makes them taste different. Farm's not too big though, so they only supply locally."

Something different in the soil? Yeah. Ed could believe that. Could be whatever had made him feel so… different… when he'd stepped off the train. Could humans feel it, too? Or was this the only way that they had currently to be able to tell? Curious, Ed took the glass, giving it a quick sniff and taking in the different scents. There was something vaguely citrusy, which he assumed was the hops, but there was also… Hmm.

A sip told Ed what it actually was. "Blackberries?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. He'd had a blackberry beer before, when he was younger. The scent and flavor hadn't been nearly so strong as this one.

"Hey, good catch. Most people can tell it's a berry, but not what kind. You like it?"

Ed nodded, taking another sip with a small smile. He could get used to this stuff. And this place. "Yeah, not too bad. How long have you had the place, uh, Greed, right?"

Was that his base? All homunculi were based off some emotion or another. The only other one Ed had met had been rather clearly based on her creator's depression. But 'greed' wasn't really an _emotion_ , was it? It was just a specific form of desire, wanting something in excess of what you needed…

"Kid, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Greed laughed, working alongside the bartender in almost a silent kind of dance. He'd done this before, for a very long time. Worked in a bar, alongside other people. The smooth grace with which he moved so effortlessly in and around this specific place, though…

Ed grinned. "Are you the _original_ owner? Established 1905, right?" Maybe he looked a little smug at the way his words made Greed's movements falter, but that smugness faded a bit when the homunculus leaned over the bar between them with that smooth grace having turned predatory.

"Yeah. I am. Got a problem with it, _kid_?"

Those slitted, violet eyes were staring straight into Ed's, and if he'd had a heart he was sure it would be beating way too fast right now. Instead, he just felt adrenaline coursing through his veins, pushed by the power of his own stone. "None at all, actually. But. Um…"

He wanted to say it. To at least _hint_ that Ed was a homunculus as well. But the words died in his mouth, and all he could think to say was… "You… Do your eyes have tapetum lucidum? The shine you see when you flash a light by, like, a cat, in the dark."

God _damn_ his curiosity! Why had that been the first thing he'd thought to ask? Ed was a goddamn fool and an idiot! Even the small "huh?" as the question registered to Greed, and the raucous laughter that followed as the words actually sunk in, couldn't save Ed.

The answers, however…

"Yeah, I do. Some people find it creepy. The original gang I started up the Nest with, though, about half of them or more had it, too. But they were all chimeras, rescued from various governments and their 'alchemical research' facilities. Dead now, of course, but I had some good times with them, and they got to spend some good years away from fucking unethical government human experimentation programs. Not entirely sure that shit's _stopped_ , mind, but I'm a suspicious fucker. Hard to see what I have in the centuries I've been around and fully believe that things have gotten any better."

_Centuries._ Greed had started the bar with a gang of chimeras from old government testing. Ed had called it with the eyes. Despite his own inhumanity and the vague implication that he was the one who broke the original gang out, Greed had strong morals. He was also jaded, which wasn't entirely unsurprising given his age and the possibility that he'd personally broken out his chimera friends, but a little sad.

"That's. Really fucking awesome. I mean, not the part about your friends and how they became chimeras, or the government experimentation in general, but. All the other stuff. How old are you? What kind of powers do you have? Are all your teeth so sharp or do you have more human-like molars?" It took all of Ed's willpower to stop where he did, practically buzzing with excitement. He could easily bombard Greed with questions until he became overwhelmed, Ed needed to take it slow, ask a reasonable amount of questions at first, and save some of the really out-there stuff for, like. Another time.

That look of shock crossed Greed's face again, and this time when he laughed it was quieter, more subdued, but no less amused. "You're really something else. What's your name, kid?" Although Ed had noticed that Greed was left-handed, he held out his right in greeting. Good to know.

After hesitating a moment, Ed reached out to shake Greed's hand with his automail. "Edward Elric. Everyone usually calls me Ed, though."

Greed's eyebrows shot up as he turned Ed's hand around with a low whistle. "Ed, huh? That's some damn nice automail you got, I've never seen anything like it. Is that carbon fiber?"

By the end of the night, Ed was feeling giddy with so many new things running through his head, so many _questions_ having been answered so readily. He'd had to leave when the bar closed early in the morning, of course, but Greed had exchanged phone numbers with him and said they could hang out later.

Ed had finally gotten the phone number of a hot guy. He tried to be quiet as he walked through the room to his bed, not wanting to wake up his roommates. But as he crawled into bed, setting an alarm to wake him up in a couple of hours, Ed thought about the hours of conversation he'd had with another homunculus, even if he hadn't had the courage to come out and say that he was one, as well.

Greed was cool. Greed was _hot_ , too. And after Ed was done dealing with the finances here at the hostel, he could maybe afford to hang out with Greed outside of the bar. Do something… _more_.

Fuck, Ed had never been with a guy before. His options on that front in Resembool had been… severely hampered by a lack of other guys his own age who were interested in men. Or at least, a lack of other guys who were willing to _admit_ that they were interested in men. Ed had suspicions, but after a few… social blunders and lots of hurt feelings, he'd learned when some questions would cause more harm to others than they did to satisfy his curiosity.

This could be fun. Ed could really learn a lot, here. He closed his eyes, a wide smile on his face as he drifted off to sleep. Not that he _needed_ to sleep, but a couple of hours of nap time helped his brain to process the events of his day. And with everything new that had happened to him? He needed that much, at least.


	5. Finding What's Hidden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's more going on in Dublith than Ed is aware of

Ed had arranged to stay with the hostel for a solid month. During that time, he had to spend his mornings looking through the past year's worth of finances. The person they'd previously contracted out for their budgeting had been skimming money off the top, and while thankfully the hostel was in no danger of having their current budget sunk, they did need someone to go through and find how much had been taken from them. It wasn't a _difficult_ job, just tedious, and required Ed to be very honest about what he found. No big deal, he was helping people, that came naturally to him.

It was the tedium that got to him, though. Hours of poring over handwritten ledgers, receipts, spreadsheets, taking notes and checking the math in each section… Sure, Ed could do this, he was interested in getting to the bottom of it too, albeit for some very different reasons than the hostel. He wanted the satisfaction of all this tedious work coalescing into a solid number that Ed would be confident in handing over to his hosts for their court case against their previous contractor.

While it would be easy to get absorbed, to let himself work without food or sleep until he got an answer, Ed needed to at least _pretend_ to be a normal human. Besides, having to work on something so monotonous for only three or four hours a day, even if it _did_ give him a mental challenge, was better for him in the long run.

For a few minutes, Ed thought about sending a text to Greed. Then, belatedly, he realized that he hadn't told anyone else about meeting the guy. He pulled out his phone, navigating to a group chat with Al and Winry.  
  


**Technically not a human disaster:** hey win hey al guess who finally fucking got a hot guy's phone number last night  
**Gearhead Pride:** :O DETAILS  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** Ed, you didn't blurt it out as a question did you?  
**Technically not a human disaster:** al i am _offended_ you would insinuate that i would do such a thing. he gave it to me of his own free will after we spent four whole hours talking. during which time i may have asked him about three questions for every answer he gave me.  
**Technically not a human disaster:** also he's a homunculus and has been running a gay bar in dublith since 1905. did i mention the teeth? or the arms? holy _shit_ guys he's got some really fucking nice arms i just wanna. touch them. see how much he can bench press.  
**Gearhead Pride:** Ed you're SUCH a disaster bi  
**Technically not a human disaster:** i've been saying that for months!  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** Wait, he's a homunculus? What's his base emotion? What are his powers?  
**Technically not a human disaster:** his name's greed and apparently his creator based him off a sin?? instead of a straight up emotion  
**Technically not a human disaster:** apparently makes him stronger or more resilient or something  
**Gearhead Pride:** but there's _seven_ sins, Ed! greed isn't even the one a lot of people think of first.  
**Technically not a human disaster:** yeah  
**Technically not a human disaster:** that kinda. worried me when i thought of it too. he gets pretty dodgy if you ask him about his creator or the other sins, though  
**Technically not a human disaster:** i'm _dying_ to know more but i don't wanna ruin my chances with this guy  
**Technically not a human disaster:** he's actually really sweet and nice even if the souls in his stone are so loud i have a hard time blocking them out  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** Winry's right, Ed. You are _such_ a disaster bi.  
**Technically not a human disaster:** I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO SAY IT OUT LOUD YOU TRAITOROUS LITTLE BRAT  
**Technically not a human disaster:** also aren't you supposed to be in class???  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** I'm not the little one here, brother ;) And actually, yes. bbl  
**Gearhead Pride:** ahhhhhh!!!!! sorry, Granny just got a phone call :C emergency amputation happened at the hospital, i'm being asked to join Granny as an automail consultant for the patient and their family.  
**Gearhead Pride:** i'll talk to you later, Ed!  
**Technically not a human disaster:** ah geez, i hope they'll be ok :/ good luck win! if they need any of your references you can point them at me ok??  
**Gearhead Pride:** thanks, Ed. i appreciate that a lot.  
**Gearhead Pride:** later!  
  


With his brother and friend likely to be gone for at least a couple of hours, Ed decided to just walk around Dublith and look for a place to eat. When he'd finished up his paperwork for the day, he'd been given some cash, and a discount coupon good at a couple of local restaurants to help stretch his money further. True, he could just skip lunch, it wasn't like he _needed_ to eat, but there was something that smelled really fucking delicious nearby and now he wanted to see what it was.

In the middle of the sidewalk, he stopped dead in his tracks. The souls in Ed's stone, for a few brief moments, cried out in pain. It was the loudest his stone had ever gotten, that he could remember. So many people inside him, calling out for _something_ …

Once it passed, though, that warm vibrance radiated up his right leg again, spreading through his body and calming the souls that he relied on to exist. He took a deep breath, trying to calm _himself_ down before continuing on his way.

Something in the land wasn't right, here. It had felt like home, once he'd stepped off the train. But that… whatever Ed had just experienced, it was _dangerous_. What would happen if the souls in his stone had already been loud to begin with? They could have completely overwhelmed him.

What if he'd gone feral?

Ed paused, adjusting the backpack on his left shoulder. Maybe… maybe he should do some research. Look into what caused homunculi to go feral. Somehow, he doubted he'd find much information — as far as Ed was aware, no one really knew what caused it. But Dublith would have a much higher incidence rate of feral homunculi just because of population density. Of _course_ more homunculi would go feral here than anywhere else, more homunculi _lived_ here than anywhere else!

But the good news was, he'd at least be able to visit the places other homunculi had gone feral in the past. Maybe he wouldn't find anything. Maybe he'd just run around in circles. Maybe his mind was trying to put together pieces of a puzzle that didn't exist. That had happened before.

He just… needed to check. That was all.


	6. Interlude: Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hohenheim sees someone he once thought of as a friend, a long time ago

Van looked up from the newspaper at the sound of a writhing mass of souls screaming in pain. The ones outside seemed to be coming from several different stones, and in a way that resonated with his own. Ah, so his old 'friend' had made a family of his own, had he?

There was a knock at the door, and by that time Van had already started reading the newspaper again. "You're welcome to come in, but if you're expecting any kind of a fight I'm afraid you're much too late for that." He'd given up his alchemy so that Edward could use it instead — both ensuring that Van would never again make another homunculus, and enabling his son the chance to learn and use alchemy for himself. Otherwise, he knew, that one thing always out of reach would bother his son forever.

When the front door opened, Van looked up to see someone much like himself. A stolen face, a stolen form. Stolen souls, trapped within the both of them. "And here I'd thought we were friends, once."

Carefully folding his newspaper, Van set it on the kitchen table and took a sip of his coffee. There really _was_ nothing he could do in the event of a fight. If any of these homunculi tried to take the souls in his stone, he was effectively helpless. Those inside of him, less so.

"A friend would have seen that I cherished my home and enjoyed life as a human, not destroyed it and turned me into something I was never meant to be." Van didn't look up, still.

Homunculus seemed to sigh, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from Van. His creations hovered nearby him, still. "All this time, and you still don't understand, do you? The hate in your eyes when Xerxes—"

"I understand that you had a complete disregard for the lives of people you didn't know or did not like. I understand that I was the only person you grew close to, and that you wished to keep me close by despite having a human lifespan. I **understand** why you did it. Understanding the reasoning does not make the actions any less abhorrent."

A chill crept across Van's spine, and the youngest-looking homunculus stared at him with far more cold, calculating intensity than his appearance would have suggested he was capable of. The shadows in the home grew darker, and for the first time in a long time, Van was grateful for his lack of curiosity. He wasn't sure he wanted to know what any of these creations were capable of.

"Pride, that's unnecessary." Homunculus — really, a proto-homunculus, by modern alchemy's standards — settled a hand on his creation's shoulder, holding that power back with sheer force of will.

"If you say so, Father," Pride said in response, and the shadows in Van's home went back to their normal state, leaving that chill to fade.

Van didn't react to that. Instead, he took another sip from his coffee mug and finally, _finally_ looked his former friend in the eyes. "Why did you come here?"

Homunculus settled his hands on the table. "I'm dying, old friend. This form I took was never meant to last so long. Only the power of the stone I created has kept it together so far."

All of the other homunculi, the ones created with a more modern method of alchemy, seemed… upset by the way it was said. Homunculus had told them before now, at least, but having the reminder pushed in their faces had to be disturbing.

"I'd say it serves you right. Let the souls left inside of you right now return to wherever it is they need to go. They've been in pain long enough."

There was an outcry from three of the homunculi — Pride, one with the form of a lovely woman, and another with indeterminate gender and long hair. Their father quieted them down, then looked back at Van. "I was hoping you might take care of them in my stead."

Van looked over the gathered homunculi. Two of them wouldn't pass as even remotely human, the others might be alright, but Pride… Six of them. Pride. Pieces of a puzzle clicked into place, and although he asked the question, there was no curiosity in Van's voice. "Where is your seventh sin, Homunculus?"

"Greed has been missing for a long time. He is, technically, the weakest of my children, but is also nearly indestructible thanks to his power. He was also far more cunning and intelligent than I ever intended, or gave him credit for when he was with us." Homunculus paused, tilting his head slightly with furrowed eyebrows as he looked at Van.

Van didn't flinch when the inevitable question was asked. "You're not the bright, curious slave I befriended all those centuries ago. Where is your curiosity, Van? When did you cave in to your loneliness and create a homunculus child of your own to stay by your side?"

"I don't think that's your concern. In any case, he has his own free will, the same as your children. Let them choose for themselves what to do with their lives when your body gives out and those souls you selfishly took for yourself are set free from their torment."

The short, chubby homunculus walked over to Van, reaching up to tug on his jacket. "You're Father's friend. Can't you save him?"

It was cruel, to have to say something like this to a homunculus that was created without the ability to truly understand what was going on in this situation. "Even if I could, I would refuse to. By all rights, none of us ought to be here right now. Your father dying will put the rest of the world more at ease."

Those words earned him angry stares from the other homunculi, the ones that passed for human at least — the big one seemed to have fallen asleep on his feet — although Homunculus himself did not seem to be upset.

Van vaguely wondered if Homunculus felt anything at all, anymore, having separated his 'sins' from himself. True, they were close by, which meant he could still, if he tried, feel an echo of those emotions. But they would only ever be an echo, never a true feeling again. And if one of them had permanently left, then that feeling was lost to Homunculus for good.

Fortunately, curiosity was not the only reason Van had to ask questions and put puzzle pieces together. Concern for the safety of Resembool, of his own sons, was a solid reason to ask questions. "If I refuse to be caretaker to your children, what will you do, Homunculus?"

His doppelganger sighed, spreading his hands almost helplessly. "I'm afraid I don't have much power left to do much of anything. Alchemy at this point will only deteriorate my body further."

Sharp golden eyes looked around at each of the others in the room. Dark hair, violet eyes on all of them. "And what will all of you do?"

Pride nearly started to speak up, but it was the woman who beat him to it. "We could search for _your_ homunculus child. Your curiosity. Such a creature would come right to us, if only we left hints as to our connection to each other."

She wasn't wrong. Edward was already seeking out other homunculi, trying to learn something about himself. If these creatures offered him even the slightest inkling that they were all connected to him… while Van could feel and hear that Edward would easily be able to take on any one of them, they outnumbered him. Even with alchemy…

"I cannot be caretaker to all of you. This isn't even a matter of refusing, it's a matter of my capabilities, and personal responsibility on your parts. Register with the Amestrian government. Find your own places in the world." Van hesitated, reluctant to point them in Edward's direction. But they would all find each other eventually, perhaps it would be better to warn his son that they were coming.

"My son is in Dublith. There are enough homunculi there that you might be able to skate by for a time without registering or raising undue suspicion. He's still trying to find his own place in the world. Perhaps you can all find it out together."

Homunculus bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, old friend." Rather than standing up, Van saw cracks in the skin Homunculus wore. Before his eyes, they started to spread, seeping out the darkness inside.

His old friend had never truly left the flask, merely traded it for one that was more durable and self-mobile. The other homunculi watched, shock and pain on some of their faces as they realized that their father was dying right before their eyes. It seemed that the Dwarf in the Flask had been clinging to life just long enough to ensure that his family wouldn't be left entirely lost and alone.

Would Van have the ability to do the same with Edward, one day?


	7. Handling a Lunch Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed and Greed have lunch

Ed sat alone at the cafe, enjoying the chance to be outside, to watch people. Well, when he wasn't focusing intently on the information he'd gathered. Each spot that a homunculus had gone feral in Dublith was now marked on his phone's GPS app. Just looking at it, there seemed to be a vague pattern, but while the human mind could find patterns nearly anywhere, his mind was especially good at it.

Sometimes that was a curse, really. He saw things that weren't actually there, and other people dismissed his claims as crazy conspiracies the weird kid thought up. It made him great for his part-time work at the hostel, though, so rather than think too hard about probably nonexistent theories about Dublith and homunculi, Ed turned his mind over to the information he'd soaked up this morning about the finances he was looking through.

It was enough to keep him distracted until his lunch came, and as he started to dig in, he belatedly noticed that he'd missed a phone call and a few texts, all from Greed. The phone hadn't even been on silent, just a bit quieter than usual. He set aside his sandwich, texting the other homunculus back.

 

**[11:45] Greed:** Hey Ed, you free for lunch today?  
**[11:55] Greed:** Aw c'mon kid, don't tell me you're sleeping in or something.  
**[12:13] Greed:** Heads up, I'm gonna give you a call.  
**[12:32] Ed:** sorry i spaced out and didn't hear the phone. what's this about lunch?  
**[12:33] Greed:** You available for it? Like right now.  
**[12:34] Ed:** technically? yes. i'm at a little cafe and my sandwich just came out but like hell i'll say no to more food  
**[12:34] Greed:** What cafe? Where at?  
**[12:25] Ed:** [sent a map link]  
**[12:27] Greed:** See ya in like 5-10 minutes okay?

 

Ed felt adrenaline rush through his veins as he sent a thumbs-up emoji in response. He went back to his laptop, sitting open on the table in front of him, and stuffed a solid half of the sandwich in his mouth at once while he sent a quick notice to Al and Winry in the group chat.

 

**Technically not a human disaster:** uh so  
**Technically not a human disaster:** greed might… be asking me for a lunch date  
**Technically not a human disaster:** he said he'd meet me at a cafe in a few minutes so just giving everyone a heads up  
**Technically not a human disaster:** if you don't hear from me tonight i might actually be dying  
**Technically not a human disaster:** this guy's really hot and i feel like i might pass out if he says this is actually a date or something  
**Technically not a human disaster:** shit here he comes ttyl guys

 

Before Greed got close enough to see the mess of documents and notes and group chat messages, Ed closed the lid to his laptop and shoved it in the backpack sitting on the ground next to him.

"Excuse you, jackass, that was _not_ five to ten minutes!" One thing Ed had been quick to pick up on was that Greed seemed to like mildly antagonistic but playful back-and-forth. Good, because Ed sometimes had a hard time keeping his language to himself.

Although his expression was partially hidden by sunglasses in the bright daylight, Greed flashed a toothy grin as he sat down, sweeping his black duster back like an overdramatic ass. "Eh, I was a bit closer than I'd thought. Maybe if I had stubby little legs like you, it would've taken me closer to ten, but…"

Ed fell for the bait. He stood up, moving to reach across the table and jab at Greed's chest with his automail hand. "Who the fuck are you calling stubby? You're the freakishly tall one, here!"

In an instant, that easy grin seemed to look forced, and Ed realized that he'd said something wrong. He felt his own anger falter, worried that he'd fucked something up.

"Heads up. Try not to use the word 'freak' around homunculi too much, 'kay? Lot of us have bad history with it." Greed reached up to rub at his neck, gray carbon covering just his fingertips, although why, Ed had no clue. "I get what you mean, I'm taller than a lot of folks, especially compared to you, but it's not a word you throw at someone you know is a homunculus."

It wasn't hard to read in between the lines — Greed himself was one of those homunculi who had a bad history with the word. Freak of alchemy, freak of nature, freaky-looking, freaky attitude… Ed swallowed, remembering the whispers he'd heard about himself growing up in Resembool. The people there didn't know he was a homunculus, but they still sensed he was different from them. They labeled him something of an outsider. _The weird kid._

Was that how Greed felt? All the time? Ed had a hard time wrapping his head around it. He loved to hear about other people's experiences, because he himself couldn't seem to understand their perspectives a huge portion of the time. That someone might feel that ostracized all the time, rather than being embraced as the _community's_ weird kid, seemed… entirely foreign. And painful.

Eyes downcast, he sat back down, poking at the veggie crisps on his plate. "Sorry. Didn't mean to hurt you." Just because he couldn't seem to empathize very well with other people didn't mean that Ed didn't care about how they felt, or feel bad when he was the one who hurt someone.

There was a pause, then Ed looked up when he saw sunglasses being set down on the table between them.

"Look, kid… I'm letting you know because for as many of us as there are here in Dublith, homunculi don't always pass well for human or have very good self-control in holding themselves back when they're upset. We don't always understand when something's appropriate by human standards, and some of us have really explosive personalities and dangerous powers."

Ed had always, _always_ , passed pretty well for human, but it had always been a struggle holding himself back. More than a few times, when he was younger, Winry and Al had to physically hold him back from people who tried to pick a fight. And wasn't 'explosive personality' just a fancy term for what he'd just done with Greed over the jab at his height?

Greed continued. "That's why a lot of us need handlers. Those of us who are more prone to difficulties with humans get assigned them, or if we're lucky we bond with them on our own despite how hard it is for us. They're babysitters, basically; standing between us and the world."

It all too easy to draw a parallel, now, between homunculi with handlers and Ed's experiences growing up with Al. Al had been less than a year younger than him, they'd hit important developmental milestones at the same time, and Ed… Ed had bonded with Al, and later Winry, far stronger than he had anyone else in Resembool. Al and maybe Winry could be considered his handlers, at least when Ed was younger.

He still had a hard time telling what was socially acceptable. But… he was better at it now, at nineteen, than he had been at nine. Ed could reasonably be allowed around other people that didn't know him on his own, without causing too much trouble. That was something, right?

Ed didn't want to think too hard about his discomfort with the similarities between himself and other homunculi, not right now, so he tried to focus on the conversation.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're getting at," he finally mumbled, sparing a slight glance up without moving his head. 

Greed sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, which had little red indents from where the sunglasses had sat. Although his eyes were closed, Ed imagined that they would look tired if they'd been open.

"What I'm getting at is that you seem like a cool guy. You don't care that I'm a homunculus, or about my inhuman features, aside from asking a shitton of questions about it all. Dunno if you'll find some of my habits weird or not, but you seem to be more accepting that they'll exist for a reason, and not just because of me being a _freak_."

Violet eyes opened, pupils narrowed into slits, although Greed's eyelids drooped slightly. Had Ed been right about the tiredness?

"I'm trying to warn you so you don't say the wrong thing to the wrong homunculus and wind up getting hurt, okay? Not a lot of people are as chill as you with the inhuman among us. I'd hate to see you wind up hospitalized because you pushed a wrong button somewhere."

Finally, Ed looked up with more than just his eyes, trying to examine the way that Greed sat, the way he moved, the tension in his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth. Greed didn't seem to have a handler. Seemed to know how to move around human society and cared about people, even if his inhuman traits set him slightly apart from it and had to be hidden from the majority.

Greed was good at keeping himself in check, but even he had a hard time. Ed could... For once, Ed could really _understand_ how someone else must have felt. Or at least, feel like he might have some idea of it. It was an improvement over his usual state, anyway.

"Thanks. For looking out for me. You're still… _unreasonably_ tall, though, jackass." Ed had to pause, think of the right word, and then hope that now was the right time to try and break tension. He was good at analyzing, but there were always unseen factors with other people that he wasn't always good at factoring into his calculations.

It seemed to be the right thing to say, because the tightness at the corners of Greed's mouth relaxed, his eyebrows lifted, and his shoulders slumped a little. Then, finally, mere milliseconds after Ed had said all that, Greed laughed, and reached over to grab a handful of veggie crisps off Ed's plate. "So. Order whatever you want off the menu, or if you wanna finish up here, I can show you around Dublith a bit and we can catch, I dunno, a proper dinner and a movie? My treat."

Ed swallowed, going back to thinking about how powerful Greed's arms and chest had looked, the easy grace of a predator who knew his environment, and the brush of fingers the night before as Greed had taken Ed's phone to type his number into it. "Are you asking me out on a _date_ or something?"

That grin, sharp teeth poking out from between his lips. "What's that 'or something' meant to be? Not every day I get a chance to properly woo a guy who's not afraid of what I am, of _course_ I'm asking you on a fucking date!"

A nervous laugh bubbled out from Ed's chest, and he nodded faintly as he picked up his phone. "Yeah. Sure. Lemme just. Send a message to my brother and friend. They'll be back soon and I should let them know I won't be available for a while."

Greed shrugged, gesturing towards the phone in Ed's hand. "Go for it."

 

**Ask me about my brother's height:** My physics teacher can bite my ass, what a pompous jerk!  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** Anyway, Ed, how's your 'date' going? ;)  
**Technically not a human disaster:** okay so good news lunch isn't technically a date  
**Technically not a human disaster:** bad news we're doing dinner and a movie and he's gonna show me around town before then and that _is_ a date  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** Oh my god brother, _breathe_ okay? Don't hyperventilate, nice steady breaths.  
**Gearhead Pride:** only popping in for a second because i'm on the way to the vending machine but Ed you had better get pics of this guy! i demand it >:O  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** So was one of the questions you asked him about his… ;)  
**Gearhead Pride:** does he have big hands? big feet? :D  
**Technically not a human disaster:** YOU'RE HORRIBLE AWFUL PEOPLE AND I HATE YOU FOR MAKING ME THINK OF HIS DICK WHILE HE'S SITTING ACROSS FROM ME AND WE'RE BOTH IN PUBLIC  
**Technically not a human disaster:** FUCK YOU BOTH  
**Gearhead Pride:** pretty sure you're the one hoping to get fucked, Ed!  
**Ask me about my brother's height:** Winry, can you not make me think of my brother actively having sex? Please? I have to go get lunch now, you know.  
**Gearhead Pride:** sorry!!!

 

Fuming and red-faced, Ed sent a middle finger emoji for each of the terrible people in his group chat, then shoved his phone in his pocket. "God, they're awful."

Greed just looked at him, a sly curve to his lips as violet eyes took in Ed's posture. Once again, he thought of a predator, and this time Greed was sizing up _Ed_ as his prey. The red flush on his face worsened, and he finished eating as quickly as possible, trying very hard not to think about what Greed might be like in bed.

He was failing. Miserably. And yet, at the same time, having _so_ much fun with Greed right there across from him adding to those thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Next scene will be the last before I take a couple weeks of hiatus to really work on getting ahead in this fic. I'm going to see if I can't get a bigger portion of the writing done up ahead of time, instead of the few scenes ahead I've got right now. If I'm really lucky, I might be able to actually concentrate enough to wrap this fic up before I resume posting! Wish me luck and enjoy this scene and the next one (posted on Thursday, as usual!) before the hiatus.


	8. No Kiss Until The Third Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed and Greed go on their first date.
> 
> I swear I didn't plan for this chapter to get posted on Valentine's Day but it's funny how it worked out that way.

Ed had never felt so _alive_ before. The movie hadn't actually happened, he and Greed had spent literal hours walking around, getting food, and chatting. Winry and Al were some of the only people that Ed had ever really _connected_ to — even his dad, his creator, who had always been high on the list of people Ed liked and was one of the highest on the list of people who _got_ Ed at a fundamental level, but Ed had never had that strong of a bond with the man.

It was one of the reasons he hated his purpose, really.

But Greed? Ed seemed to connect with Greed nearly instantaneously. They also seemed to get each other's sense of dark humor and need for friendly bickering. More, Greed honestly didn't seem to mind that Ed constantly peppered him with questions: everything from what it was like to live back in 1848 to how a seedy bar that had started as a cover for his illegal gang activities had turned into a thriving hub of the local gay community to the weirdest (or grossest) thing that Greed had ever eaten.

The answers were, in order, easier to live and get by as a homunculus without the government breathing down his neck constantly, he honestly wasn't sure but sure as hell embraced the evolution, and a raw chunk of decayed human corpse.

Maybe Greed had expected Ed to be thoroughly disgusted with that last answer, but honestly he just made a slight face at a personal memory. He'd eaten raw meat gone bad one time. Wasn't like it was going to hurt him. But the taste had been terrible, and brushing his teeth afterwards had only made him despise the taste and scent of mint for several weeks after he was finished. Had Greed had a similar experience?

"Man, you're so weird. It's like nothing phases you." Greed threw an arm over Ed's shoulders, holding him close. The other homunculus smelled like campfire embers and whisky, if Ed had to put names to it. Carbon and alcohol.

His sense of smell had always been better than a human's. And this close, he could pick up individual emotions that Ed had spent years experimenting with bringing out so he could identify them. Nostalgia, belonging, and a faint undertone of sexual desire.

That last one was harder to pick up, but when it did Ed's face went red. "Yeah, well. Everyone at home said I was always… the weird kid. But I was _their_ weird kid, even if sometimes I stared at someone or something too long and they got creeped out. They knew it wasn't… intentional, or anything. I just get really focused on watching someone or something and it's hard to break me out of it. No harm meant, no real harm done."

Greed hummed, then reached over and tapped at Ed's automail shoulder. "Dunno how rude it is to ask, and feel free to tell me to fuck off, but how'd you lose that arm?"

Ah. Ed's chest tightened at the thought of telling Greed what he was, and the full story behind his automail was intrinsically tied to him being a homunculus. "I… I was a dumb stupid kid and dragged my little brother into something neither of us should've been doing. He was pretty traumatized by it, and I still feel bad about that because sometimes he has nightmares even now. He's my _brother_ , we grew up together, and I hurt him so bad…"

It took a moment for Ed to decide what to say next. He chose the coward's way out and started rambling. "I'm missing most of my left leg, too. Getting the automail ports put on was such a pain, but they finally took. Do you know how long it took me to learn to write with my off-hand? Normal automail's too clunky for fine motor control in your hands. You can do a lot of things, but you can't write with it."

Ed lifted his automail hand, showing off the sleek, black weave pattern of his usual arm. "That's why my friend Winry made me this carbon fiber arm for everyday use. It's lightweight, has better manual dexterity, and she added capacitive touch to my first two fingers and my thumb, so I can use a smartphone with it. Downside, it's not really good for heavy lifting."

He shouldn't have switched the topic so readily. Should have explained everything, the whole story, gone into detail about why it had been so traumatizing for Al. But Greed's eyes, shining in the dim light, seemed to be taking in Ed's nervousness. Probably attributing it to just bad memories, and not secrets that Ed was unintentionally keeping.

It wasn't that Ed _wanted_ to keep the reality of his existence from Greed! He just kept getting nervous at the last second. He was used to having to keep it a secret except from a small handful of people, and trying to break that silence…

And then there was the matter of his own stone. So silent in comparison to Greed's, roaring so loud, yet muffled by everything that was _Greed_. Ed swallowed, looking up at the man. "I'm getting kinda chilly, and I didn't bring a jacket. I should… head back."

There was a flash of… something that Ed couldn't identify on Greed's expression. A slight downturn of the corners of his mouth, eyes looking down at the ground, posture slumping. And within the space of a second, violet eyes lit up with a smile and a hand reached up to ruffle Ed's hair. "Alright. You want me to walk you back? I've gotta work at the Nest tomorrow, so I won't be available to be social after like, three in the afternoon. If you wanna hang out in the morning, though…?"

Ed swallowed, shrugging slightly. "I've got some work I'm doing in the mornings. Can text you after I'm done with that, though. And I'm good, I can get back on my own from here, it's not too far…"

If he had a heart, it would be racing right now. Ed already could feel knots in his stomach as Greed looked at him, could smell that desire rising—

"If you're sure. Text me tomorrow sometime, then. We can set up another date. You ask a lot of questions, but you're pretty easy to talk to, and you're chill, for a human. I know you said you're only visiting, but it'd be nice to like. Have that connection, again. Haven't had a boyfriend or girlfriend for years now, so even if it's a temporary thing, it'd be nice, yanno?"

Ed nodded slightly, pretty sure it was dawning on him what Greed was suggesting. They get together, at least for the month that Ed was in Dublith. Fuck. He wanted it, so bad, but there was that thing Greed had said, about assuming Ed was…

"Greed, about that, I—"

"Shh." One finger rested on Ed's lips, a slight grin showing off sharp teeth. "Don't gotta make up your mind right now. But if you decide to, then just know that if I'm doing a relationship, even a temporary one, I like to wait until at least the third date to do anything more than hang out. I've done one-night stands, those are fine, but I want something a bit more than that, ya feel?"

Swallowing down his nervousness, Ed pulled Greed's hand away. "Listen, I've gotta tell you something…"

" _You_ should be heading back to wherever you're staying. I'll text you later to work out our second date." With that, Greed waved and walked off, hands in his pockets.

**Goddammit** , Ed had been so close to saying it, too. As the distance between him and Greed grew, Ed could feel the will to run and catch up with him, to _make_ Greed stand there and listen to him, fade away.

He really was bad at being a homunculus, wasn't he?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand that's it! Give me two, three weeks tops and I'll start posting on a regular schedule again! Hopefully with more work ahead than what I've currently got. See you after the hiatus!


	9. Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed can't sleep

**[00:12] Ed:**  i met a homunculus. he's pretty cool, really nice.  
 **[00:13] Ed:**  he asked me out on a date  
 **[00:14] Old Man:**  His stone doesn't bother you?  
 **[00:14] Ed:**  i mean it hurts to hear sometimes but it's not as bad as the other one i met  
 **[00:15] Old Man:**  That's good to hear. Did he ask about your stone? Why it's so quiet?  
 **[00:15] Ed:**  … he doesn't know  
 **[00:16] Ed:**  i keep wanting to tell him but every time i try i just… can't  
 **[00:16] Old Man:**  He'll find out eventually.  
 **[00:17] Ed:**  i know  
 **[00:17] Ed:**  it's gonna hurt when he does, i just know it  
 **[00:20] Old Man:**  You should be careful. The Dwarf in the Flask made children of his own, and they're probably on their way to Dublith right now.  
 **[00:21] Ed:**  how do you know that?  
 **[00:21] Old Man:**  They were here.  
 **[00:22] Old Man:**  Individually, you could take any of them on by yourself if necessary.  
 **[00:23] Ed:**  but there's more of them than there are of me  
 **[00:23] Old Man:**  Correct.  
 **[00:25] Ed:**  fuck, if i'd stayed just a couple more days, i could've met them and been with you  
 **[00:26] Old Man:**  I'm actually glad you weren't here. There's no telling how it might have played out.  
 **[00:26] Old Man:**  Better that you and your brother were safe.  
 **[00:30] Ed:**  thanks for the heads up. i'll keep an eye out  
 **[00:30] Ed:**  good night old man. you try to get a couple hours too.  
 **[00:31] Old Man:**  Good night, Edward. Rest well.

Ed didn't sleep well. Two or three hours was his usual before he started getting nightmares, and was usually more than adequate for his subconscious to sort through all the information he'd taken in during the day. Tonight, though, he woke up barely an hour after he'd gotten the last text from his dad, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. The sound of his own stone roared in his ears, and it took him several minutes to try and calm the souls inside of him.

It was different, somehow, from hearing Greed's stone and its constantly-screaming souls. Those felt easier to block out, because Ed knew they were an external thing he couldn't actually change. But his own stone? That was too loud, too much for Ed to bear. Especially after the nightmares.

"C'mon guys, calm down, please? I'm okay, really, it was just a nightmare, I can't even remember it now. I hate hearing you in pain, it hurts and none of you deserve that. None of you deserved  _this_  to happen to you… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I know you all volunteered to make me but I'm so sorry you were put in a position where you could in the first place…" Ed whispered to the souls in his stone. There were a few roommates stirring or still awake on their phones, but the person in the bunk above Ed was snoring away, and he was likely the only one who might be close enough to hear the whispered pleading.

Thankfully, within about ten minutes, everyone inside of Ed quieted down. He touched a hand to his chest, silently thanking them before deciding that maybe he should take his laptop out into one of the common rooms. Talk to some people, watch a bit of late-night television, maybe get a soda or something to drink.

Just. Not go back to sleep.

Chit-chat with humans was generally boring, but it made him look social, to talk about mundane things like the weather and where a good place to get some pancakes was and ask about good local scenery he could take pictures of to send to his family. Between that and doing some wiki-surfing to keep his mind occupied, to satisfy his curiosity, Ed found himself going on four in the morning before finally pulling out his phone.

**[03:52] Ed:**  do you sleep at all?  
 **[03:53] Greed:**  I think the question here is do YOU?  
 **[03:53] Ed:**  not a lot. nightmares  
 **[03:54] Ed:**  had them ever since i could remember  
 **[03:55] Greed:**  Fuck, that's a feeling I know well.  
 **[03:56] Greed:**  I can sleep, but I usually don't do more than nap for a half hour a couple times a day.  
 **[03:57] Ed:**  clearly i didn't wake you up from one of those :P  
 **[03:58] Greed:**  No but if you tell me what you're wearing maybe I could have a good mental image to take one to ;)  
 **[04:00] Ed:**  what the fuck happened to no more than hanging out before a third date????  
 **[04:02] Greed:**  God I bet you're blushing right now. Are you? Send me a pic I gotta see your cute face.  
 **[04:03] Ed:**  fuck off asshole!!!! no pics no dirty talk no nothing, just for that!  
 **[04:05] Greed:**  Haha okay fine, fine. Seriously though, what are you up to? You safe where you are?  
 **[04:06] Ed:**  just browsing wikipedia and texting you, and yeah i'm fine. why?  
 **[04:07] Greed:**  Few hours ago there was a really powerful homunculus nearby, I could hear it. Sounded upset.  
 **[04:09] Ed:**  did something happen?  
 **[04:10] Greed:**  I don't think so. Stopped hearing it after a few minutes, but it worries me.  
 **[04:10] Ed:**  i'll stay safe, don't worry about me  
 **[04:12] Greed:**  Just be careful.  
 **[04:13] Ed:**  i will.

Slowly, Ed put the phone away. He knew he wasn't more than five or six blocks from the Devil's Nest, but even then, it had taken him getting within a few hundred feet of the bar to be able to hear Greed's stone. And yet, Greed had been able to hear the uproar of Ed's stone when he'd woken up from his nightmare. How loud had his stone  _really_  been?

It didn't occur to Ed until he started putting his laptop and phone away to start work on the hostel's finances that maybe he should've asked what Greed had meant by 'hearing' another homunculus. With as many questions as he was prone to asking, Greed probably expected him to.

Lunchtime, maybe. He'd give Greed a call at lunchtime and tell him then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhhh hey sorry i'm late to continue updating this, i've been having some pretty severe mental health issues and one of my old fandoms (Devil May Cry) came out with a new game so i've been sucked into that magnificent hell all over again
> 
> i'll try to resume regular updates but i think i'll just be doing once a week updates this time so i can build my buffer back up


	10. Patterns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed starts seeing the patterns in Dublith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter warning for implied intent-to-rape, but nothing graphic

Lunchtime came and went, and the only reason that Ed stopped working on the hostel's paperwork was because one of the full-time staff came in about an hour before sunset and asked him if he'd eaten at all that day. He made an excuse about having had some protein bars earlier (a flat-out lie), and took the staff's appearance as a good cue to stop for the day. Yeah, it was tedious going through everything, but the extra time he'd put into the job that day meant that he only had maybe another… seven or eight hours left until he had some results to hand over to management.

Which also meant that he was so far ahead of schedule with his assigned work that Ed would have to find something else to do in the mornings for the rest of his stay. Maybe he'd volunteer to help with cleaning the bathrooms or something, a job most people really didn't want to do. For Ed, cleaning bathrooms was still preferable to mucking stalls, although the strong scent of cleaning supplies always gave him a headache while manure never seemed to bother him as much. Probably because he'd gotten used to the smell of the latter a long time ago.

He contemplated going to the Devil's Nest, but decided against it. However, he sent a quick text to Greed anyway to try and set up plans for another date. There wasn't a response right away, and Ed figured it was probably because the bar was busy and therefore so was Greed. Oh well, he'd hear back from the other homunculus later tonight.

With not much else to do, Ed pulled up the GPS app on his phone so he could see if any of those spots where homunculi had gone feral in the past elicited the same response from his stone as the one that had rattled him so badly the day prior. His mind was still in a mode to try and find patterns, so if there  _was_  one to be found, then he might have better luck looking now.

Unfortunately, wandering around town after dark with his eyes glued more to his phone and the directions it gave him was bound to draw the wrong kind of attention. The sudden appearance of another stone took him off-guard, especially with how quickly it descended on him. The sound of it was dissonant — far more so than Greed's, or the homunculus he'd met a couple of years ago. He wasn't sure what that meant, exactly, but Ed was more concerned at the moment with getting out of the other homunculus's way.

A strange scent assaulted Ed's senses, and he backed away a further few steps to cover his nose and mouth with his left hand. The air was thick with a swirling mix of anger and desire that he'd never been exposed to before. As the strange homunculus skidded to a halt and turned to face him, Ed could see a manic grin dominating their expression, eyes glowing like coals in the dim light.

"You're gorgeous… just like her…" the homunculus crooned as they started walking towards Ed again.

Slow enough this time, hopefully, that Ed could catch them. "Dude, anyone ever tell you that you stink? Seriously, the air is rank here around you. Go take a cold shower or something."

As he spoke, Ed twisted the ground beneath him, trying not to use too much of the earth around the underground infrastructure to trap the stranger. Eyes narrowed, taking in each movement of the new homunculus, judging speed and trajectory as the red light of alchemy assisted by his philosopher's stone crackled around his feet.

The homunculus howled as their feet were held in place, and then further as their body pitched backwards, their arms and torso trapped by the ground. Ed stuffed his phone in his pocket, choosing to walk over to them and kneel next to their head, poking their greasy, dark hair with an automail hand.

"So, dude. What's your emotion? Do the authorities know you're out here attacking helpless humans after dark? You have a handler I need to call?"

Up close, their eyes were a light, icy blue, pupils blown wide. "You're not helpless, you're an  _alchemist_. Filthy stinking—"

Ed grinned, for some reason finding it easier to tell the truth to this poor homunculus. Although the souls in their stone were more grating to his senses, they were also significantly quieter than Greed's. "Hate to break it to you, but I'm not human, either. Now. You gonna answer my questions or do I have to revoke your breathing privileges while I call someone out here?"

It took a few moments for that to sink in. "Homunculi can't use alchemy, how…"

Shrugging, Ed twisted the ground a little more, tapping a finger to the layer of asphalt that now covered up their mouth with a light clinking noise. "I'm special. In a lot of ways. Now, you stay still while I call the local state alchemist's branch and let them know you're here."

When he took out his phone and unlocked the screen, Ed paused for a moment while it was still showing the GPS app. They were practically across the street from one of the markers on his map. A marker where a homunculus had gone feral in the past.

Ed bit at his flesh thumb, needing the stimulation to calm down and think for a few moments. He zoomed in, showing the spot on the map to the new homunculus. "This where you were at when you attacked me? Blink once for no, twice for yes."

Blue eyes watered as they took in the map. They blinked once. Then once again, right afterwards.

Something was definitely  **very**  wrong here. There was a pattern to this, and Ed wanted to get to the bottom of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh hey, I've fallen deep into Devil May Cry fandom hell, and idk when I'll be continuing this fic. I've got one more scene written up, and it ends on a happier note, so at least if this gets relegated to a perma-WIP, it won't be too much of an emotional cliffhanger.


	11. It's Only A Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A game of 'what-if' between Greed and Ed hits a little too close to home

Ed hadn't been able to sleep at all for the past three days. He'd been in Dublith for less than a full week and he felt simultaneously amazing and like he was going mad in turns. Without Al or Winry around to remind him to eat, too, he found himself just… not. Or at least, not as much.

His second date with Greed had been fun but fairly unremarkable: a simple dinner at a local pub and a cheesy action movie they both laughed at. The third date was tonight, and Greed had invited Ed up to his apartment, situated above the Devil's Nest. He'd ordered pizza — ham and pineapple, apparently, was a common flavor combination that was extremely popular with every homunculus Greed had ever met. Ed had to silently include himself in that.

The topic of Ed being a homunculus still hadn't been brought up again. Despite how easy it had been to tell that one who'd attacked him, Ed kept feeling the words die on the tip of his tongue whenever he tried to say something to Greed.

However, that didn't mean that homunculi weren't the current topic of conversation.

"God okay so. What would a homunculus based on their creator's depression be like?" Ed knew the one he'd first met had been one like that. She'd seemed incredibly sad and lonely, but nice enough.

Greed laughed as he took a sip from a beer bottle, reclined on the couch with an arm around the back. Behind Ed, although he was currently leaning forward and watching Greed with bright golden eyes. "Met one. Her name's Litost. Sweet gal, tries to find meaning for herself by doing outreach programs in schools. She told me a secret, once. Said that she's fairly sure she killed her creator, but her memories of the first few days after her creation are pretty fuzzy. Honestly, though, any alchemist that thinks it's a good idea to kill a couple hundred people just to get their own depression out of their system… Kinda had it coming, in my opinion."

Ed's eyes went wide. "I met her! Sort of. She came to Resembool a couple years ago. She seemed really sad. She… got a weird question, too. I don't think anyone understood what it meant, and her handler sure didn't, but…"

But Ed had been the one to send in the question. It and Litost's answer were carved in his memory. "Maybe you can explain it?"

Greed chuckled, taking one last sip from the beer bottle before setting it on the coffee table in front of them. "Sure, go for it. I'd say 'if you remember it' but you're… you. I have no doubt  _you_  remember it clear as day."

As Greed leaned back on the couch, a light grin on his face and no sunglasses obscuring his eyes this time, in his own home, Ed watched for his reaction. "The question was… 'Are the people inside you always in so much pain?' And her answer was 'If you know how to make them not be, I'd love to know.' That has something to do with the sacrifices for the philosopher's stones used to create homunculi. Right?"

Ed knew the answer, of course, but he wanted to hear Greed's perspective on it.

Eyebrows shot up high, and Greed whistled low. "Now  **that's**  a fucking question, and I'd like to know how anyone at your school knew to ask it. Yeah, it's gotta do with the souls inside our stones. I don't think it's common knowledge anymore, but making a homunculus doesn't  _just_  need a philosopher's stone to separate us from our alchemist's emotions. It's our power source. All those people are still trapped inside us, usually where our heart would be and screaming in pain. It gets to be background noise after a while, but we can… hear each other, you could say. The louder a stone, the more powerful the homunculus."

Oh. Swallowing down his nervousness, Ed pressed on. "What about her answer? There isn't… Isn't there a way to like… talk to the souls inside of you? To ease their pain in any way?"

Greed snorted, wrapping an arm around Ed's shoulders and pulling him close. The smell of blackberry beer was on his breath, strangely alluring with the rest of his presence. "If there is, no one  _I've_  ever heard of has done it. Anyway. Gimme another question, I kinda like this game. Depressing sometimes, but. A fun little thought exercise."

Rather than fighting with the urge to tell Greed about himself again, Ed chose to use that last line as inspiration for his next question. Feed his curiosity. "Alright. What do you think would make the most depressing homunculus, without using any of the typical 'negative' emotions?"

"Oh now you're getting creative. Alright, lemme think…" Greed went silent, staring off into the distance as he tried to think.

The game had started innocently enough. Ed had been curious about what different homunculus personalities were like, based on the emotions at their base. Greed had known several others throughout his time, so was willing to give his perspective, or describe ones that he'd known or currently knew like it. But he never could have expected the answer to this question.

"Honestly? I think curiosity would make a fucking  _miserable_  homunculus. Especially if they've got strong morals. There's only so many things humans find acceptable to learn about, but they're always gonna be tempted to go for the forbidden shit. The things that hurt people, or themselves. They'll never be content with not knowing an answer, and it doesn't matter what the consequences are, they'll  _have_  to know. How long is it really gonna be before they cave? Before they single-handedly destroy everything they care about in the endless pursuit of satisfying their base emotion?"

Ed's mouth felt dry, and he could feel his hands shaking. Carefully, so he didn't wind up dropping it, he set his own bottle of beer on the coffee table, standing up. He had to… do something. Get some fresh air maybe. He excused himself, opening the sliding glass door to the balcony.

A small chimera, soft fur and little lizard talons and tail, climbed up his leg and curled herself around Ed's neck. Greed had mentioned her earlier in the evening, saying that she was a rescue, and he'd fought tooth and nail to have a permit to own a chimera in the first place, but she was extremely skittish around humans. Apparently, even though Ed's stone was so silent, she seemed to find comfort in him, too.

Greed's stone moved closer, until Ed could smell the other homunculus. Carbon and alcohol, just like before. "Huh, guess Garnacha's been getting better with humans. She seems to like you."

Sure enough, there was a tiny, rattling purr from the chimera around Ed's neck, and for all that he was shaken by Greed's take on curiosity-based homunculi, Ed found himself smiling a little and petting the soft, mottled gray fur on her neck and back.

After a moment, Greed leaned against the balcony railing, staring out at the city around them. Below, people walked in and out of the Devil's Nest, some sober, some drunk. "… I'm not sure what I said that upset you so bad, but I'm sorry. Not meaning it doesn't mean jack shit if you were still hurt by it. If you're comfortable sharing what it was, I can try to avoid that topic again. I can't make guarantees I won't fuck up, but I'll do what I can."

There was something in the way Greed phrased his apology that reminded Ed of his own experiences. How difficult humans were to truly  _understand_  for him. Did Greed feel the same way? Ed had seen how Greed longed for companionship, treasured his friendships and actively sought out connections. But that didn't necessarily mean he understood humans any better than Ed himself did.

Maybe they understood each other better than either of them thought.

Ed reached out, wrapping his left arm around Greed's right and just staying there for a few moments. "… There's something I've been wanting to tell you. Pretty much since the first night we met, actually. I keep trying to say it, but every time I try, I feel like something's stopping me, and I don't know what. So I keep choosing the coward's way out and avoiding the topic. I hope… I really hope I'll be able to say something soon, though."

They stayed like that, silent, watching humans pass below and just being close to each other. When Greed spoke up, it was almost enough to make Ed jump in surprise, hot breath and low whisper close to his ear. "You know, when I'm close to you, my stone feels quieter than usual. It's kinda nice. Doesn't happen often. You up for staying the night at all? No sex or anything, just a goodnight kiss, but I've got a guest room open, if you want to."

Shivers ran down Ed's spine, and he pulled back slightly so he could turn to look at Greed. In this light, the shine in his violet eyes was pronounced, pupils blown wide instead of in their usual slits. A smile tugged at the corners of Ed's mouth, and he leaned up to press a kiss to Greed's lips. It was their third date, after all.

When he pulled away, Ed couldn't stop himself from beaming up at Greed. "I'd like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so! This fic isn't going to be continued for some time because Devil May Cry has sucked me into its fandom hell and it's super hard to concentrate on my FMA stuff. This is the last chapter that's been written so far, and it ends on a reasonably decent note so if I never actually get back to it, it'll probably be just fine the way it is. If I _do_ get back to it later on when I'm properly motivated, there's a longer plotline in the works to give more intrigue.
> 
> For now, marking this fic as 'complete' and if I work on it later, I'll update chapter count accordingly.


End file.
